"Ono" Hawaiian Food … Part Two
In case you need to catch up from the last post about Hawaiian food, just go here.
Fish There are so many edible fish in Hawaiian waters it would be impossible to list them all in this post. Besides, you will only find a few, out of all the fish, on menus intended for visitors. Unfortunate, too, because many of the less well known fish … to visitors … are very tasty.
Here’s a list of the better known fish … and a few not so well known.
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`ahi (ah’ hee) This is a very well known fish, often served as Japanese-style raw thinly sliced "sashimi", or as Hawaiian-style “poke” (po keh … chunked, marinated raw fish). This fish is also incredibly delicious, filleted and grilled.
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aku (ah koo) Very similiar to ‘ahi but stronger tasting. Aku was very well known to the ancient Hawaiians.
- ono OK, this is the ‘ono ono I spoke of earlier (in case you didn’t read the previous post; ‘ono also means “delicious). Thus, ‘ono ono. This fish is tasty grilled or baked, and appears on just about every menu where local fish are featured.
- `ôpakapaka (OH’ pah kah pah kah) This fish is just an all around favorite, and can be prepared baked, fried, broiled, or as "sashimi."
- mahimahi Appears on menus all over the world with its Hawaiian name intact. Maybe because it’s just fun to say …mah’ hee mah’ hee. Say that a few times and you’ll never forget it.
- ulua (oo loo ah) Super game fish, and extremely good eating, to boot. You won’t find this on all menu, but ask for it anyway.
- Here are some favorites you might find in local markets and restaurants: `û`û (menpachi), `ôpelu, akule, a`u, `ula `ula (onaga). All of these are excellent eating fish.
Ah, well it’s time for News Flash and Fun Facts About Hawaii.
News Flash: Help the folks in Samoa
Fun Facts About Hawaii: What’s one of the top places in the world to locate a telescope? Right on top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, that’s where. There are 13 scopes up there right now.
Next Post: All about volcanoes.
a hui hou
“Ono” Hawaiian Food
What the heck is “’ono” Hawaiian food? Well, the Hawaiian word ‘ono means delicious or tasty (there’s another ono Hawaiian word, but later on that), so that’s what this post is all about; delicious Hawaiian food.
If you’re on your first (or even second) jaunt to Hawaii, Hawaiian style food is probably still pretty much a muddled subject to you. Mostly, because there’s a lot of myth and misunderstanding about the food of Hawaii. Much of this comes from the menu mix of traditional Hawaiian, Asian, Filipino, and Portuguese recipes.
So, in the interest of clarity, I’m offering the following ….
Traditional Hawaiian Food
Poi (poy) Made from the thoroughly cooked, mashed, corm of the Taro (Kalo in Hawaiian) plant. Traditionally, Poi is not mixed with other foods, and is eaten by twirling one or two fingers (never three; greedy, eh?) in a bowl of Poi, then popping what’s collected in the mouth. OK, in modern times, not so much, but it is usally offered as a side dish. I’m a slob, and I like to mix it with my rice.
Kalua pig (kah loouh …. hey, you know how to pronounce pig) Traditionally, and the only authentic kalua pig is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. The heat source is hot rocks, and much of the unique flavor comes from salt, and wet banana and ti leaves. So, you folks who go to a lu’au where the pig is cooked in a pit are treated to the real deal, no matter how much other imitation stuff is going on. (Note: The word kalua literally means "to cook in an underground oven" and also describes the flavor of food cooked that way).
Lu’au Thoroughly steamed young Taro leaves … also what a festive event is called. A very popular party dish is lu’au steamed with coconut milk and some kind of fish, meat or fowl. “Eh, you like squid lu’au?“
Laulau (think “bow wow“ …only with L’s) Lau is the Hawaiian word for leaf, so laulau is two leaves. This is a handy little food package consisting of a single portion of meat (usually pork) and butterfish wrapped in lu’au (taro leaf), then wrapped in ti leaf … the aluminum foil of the Pacific. Then the whole package is thoroughly steamed. When served, you unwrap the ti leaf and set it aside … please, please don’t eat the ti leaves. You wouldn’t eat aluminum foil, right? Many local people sprinkle little bit “peppah watah” on.
‘Uala (Hawaiian purple sweet potato) You’ll find this tasty tuber at lu’aus, and most places where they serve “Hawaiian plate.“ This is an ancient food item, and it is believed that it was brought to central Polynesia circa 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back (or vice versa), and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii.
Limu (seaweed) This is such a big category it would take several posts just to touch on the highlights. Suffice it to say that native Hawaiians … as well as most of the prominent local cultures of Hawaii … have enjoyed limu as part of their basic diet for literally thousands of years. It’s eaten in raw, cooked and dried form, and is very nutritious.
Fish …….Whew! this is getting kinda long. I’ll finish up with my usual, then return midweek with another post on the “ono” foods of Hawaii. Some recipes, too.
News Flash: Running out of ideas for that November ’09 vacation? To get inspired Check this out.
Fun Facts About Hawaii: As such, in the State of Hawaii there are no governments below the county level. So, don’t look for the City Hall in Hilo.
Any questions? Please leave a comment.
Aloha a hui hou
Emergency Notice for September Oahu Activities
If this post seems to be propelled by caffiene controlled text … you’re right! Holy Gopher, it’s all about September, and September is already here!
OK, let’s get to it.
Big Bash! HAWAII FOOD & WINE PARADISE
No, that’s not a misprint. "Paradise" is the operative word here. I’ll have to admit I’m not attending due to the lack of a certain vital ingredient … MONEY!
Anyway, the event is from September 11th through the 13th, in and around the Kapolei area (all the way out H1 to the north).
I’m giving away the farm here, but I want to get the news out, so unleash your wallet and read this. And if you need a roof over your head, here’s some possibilities. A couple of the lower priced properties are sort of doggie, but I’m not going to say which ones, ’cause they know where I live!
Let’s hustle along here.
Hawaiian Quilts for Visiting Quilters
If you’re going to be on Oahu between September 13 and 21, and are a quilter, or quilting fan, be sure to Visit Kahala Mall for a major quilting event. Kahala Mall is at 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hawaii’s Master Quilter, Carol Kamaile (Kah my leh) will be displaying her designs as an important part of Kahala Mall’s "Shop with Aloha" event.
This is a big event in honor of Aloha Festivals, and features live entertainment and demonstrations that celebrate the arts, music and culture of Hawaii, past and present. If you’re new to Hawaii, this is a great way to get plenny Hawaiiana all in one place.
Oh, and did I mention it’s open to the public and free of charge.
QUILTING DEMONSTRATIONS AT KAHALA MALL Saturday, 9/13 10am-2pm, Sunday, 9/14 10pm-2pm, Wednesday, 9/17 5pm-9pm, Friday, 9/19 10am-2pm, Saturday, 9/20 10am-2pm; and final day, Sunday, 9/21 1pm-5pm
AND THAT’S NOT ALL. During this awesome event, you’ll be treated to a prestige fashion event where you’d normally pay big bucks for admission.
Here it is.
Hawaiian Monarchy Collection … Fashions from Hawaii’s Golden Age.
Imagine. The royal clothing of Queen Kaahumanu (Kah ah hoo mah new) , who presided, for all purposes, as the Queen Regent of Hawaii from 1820 until 1832; Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who envisioned the Kamehameha Schools; and many, many more.
This elegant fashion show is limited to September 13 only at Center Court of Kahala Mall at 2pm.
OK, here’s a link to the Honolulu Advertiser article that tells all about this very special "Shop with Aloha" event.
Aloha a hui hou
Cheap Airline Tickets to Hawaii … Going … Going …
Almost Gone!
I certainly don’t want to discourage you from searching out cheap tickets to Hawaii, but times a wastin!
Some of the airlines have scheduled major increases and surcharges to the Islands of Hawaii.
Case in point. HURRY ON THIS ONE!
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES ANNOUNCES NEW SURCHARGES. Effective May 27, Hawaiian is raising one-way inter-island fares by $10, raising its lowest fare from $54 to $64, the airline said. Actually that’s just early morning and late night flights. Minimums on normal daytime flights will be either $74 or $84. And that’s just minimums. Remember, these are one-way prices.
Fuel surcharges to the Mainland, USA will increase $35, from $65 to $100; to Sydney, up $40 from $120 to $160; to Pago Pago, up $45 each way from $65 to $110; to Papeete, up $55 each way from $65 to $120; and to Manila up $35 from $115 to $150 for Honolulu to Manila only. Again, that’s EACH WAY.
Inter-island Choices
Island Air … still good reliable service, and holding their present fares.
Go! … Cheap, but are looking at bankruptcy.
Pacific Wings … Fares remain steady.
American Airlines Puts Premium on Luggage.
American Airlines’ will now charge a $15 fee for the FIRST checked bag; that’s in addition to the $25 fee already charged for a second bag. $40 for two bags … each way! Skinny down to one piece of luggage stowed, and get creative with your carry on.
OK, that’s it for this post. will double up on News Flash and Fun Facts About Hawaii in the next post.
Now, get out there and hunt down those cheap airline tickets to Hawaii!
Aloha a hui hou 
Airlines That Fly to Hawaii …
… provide easy access to to all the major islands and airports.
Wait a minute! Does it seem like I’m giving waaaay to much attention to air travel? Ok, OK, this’ll be the last post … for a little while … about airlines, cheap airline tickets , and stuff like that. Except for updates.
Last post I talked about the demise of Aloha Airlines, but neglected to note the passing of another great airline service to Hawaii,ATA Airlines. Bruddah, did I love those guys. ATA, for me always delivered the goods. I took numerous trips out of Maui, and later from Hilo on the Big Island when ATA resumed service there in … ummm, I think it was 2006. They had a great connection with Southwest in Oakland, then on to Albuquerque (my second home). Why is it that so many of the good guys get cut?
Moving on, below is a list of the airlines that provide service to Hawaii from the Mainland (that’s the really big island called the “lower 48″). Not all airlines fly to every major airport in Hawaii, so check your schedules.
- American Airlines
- Continental Airlines
- United Airlines
- Northwest Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Delta airlines
Don’t forget you can island hop to any of the Hawaiian Islands by using the services of the local airlines. Again, not all go to each island.
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Island Air
- go!
- Marjet
- Pacific wings
- Mokulele Airlines
Yeah, I know, airfares are going up due to fuel costs, etc., but shop around, you’ll be suprised what you find. Remember, you’ll always find great airlines that fly to Hawaii.
Aloha a hui hou
Cheap Flights to Hawaii
… really aren’t hard to find, but it is surprising how many people accept low rack prices (list prices from the airlines) as being the only cheap airline tickets to Hawaii available…Not so.
Many of you are probably old hands at going online and working out the cheapest airline ticket, but, again, it’s surprising how many travelers don’t. Where that shows up is when you do a little shopping online.
Here’s an example I looked up on 4/21/08: San Francisco (SFO) to Kahului, Maui (OGG). Rack price for major airline was $1561.46; best price through Orbitz was $634.00. All other details were approximately the same, elapsed travel time, number of stops (one in this case), departure date and day of the week, roundtrip, etc. The major airline sites wouldn’t keep those prices listed unless somebody was buying.
Whew! The difference could pay for several dive trips to Molokini Island (technically, Islet).
Look, if you’re new at this, remember airfares are determined by a rapidly changing mix of three elements: Competition (between airlines), Inventory (how many seats are available), and Demand (people seeking those seats). Figuring this all out would make an MIT whiz return to Remedial Arithmetic.
Fortunately, you don’t have to do the math. There are excellent online sources available that use powerful computer programs to sort this all out … and present you with cheap airplane tickets to Hawaii. It’s knowing where to click that counts! The process is really not that hard. But, before you start viewing the sites, get organized.
- Make a list of what you need from a "flight site"(ex: flight availability, special services, handicap avail., how to contact, method of payment).
- I should have put this first. Don’t be afraid to scroll and browse around in these sites. There’s no commitment until the site actually asks you for payment. Until then, you’re pretty much incognito.
- Be flexible as possible on departure and return dates. Here’s why:
- –Fly mid-week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are best. Why? Less demand. Airlines, by offering cheaper fares on those days, try to encourage you to plunk your money down and fill up those seats.
- –Stay overnight Saturday (well, that’s a no-brainer if you’re flying to Hawaii.) But,why? Because that puts you into an excursion class which receives a greater discount.
- –Travel on the actual holiday day (ex: Christmas [well, Christmas has been a good choice in recent years], Easter, Mother’s Day). Hey, why not?
- Airlines often put time restrictions on discounts. That is, you have to purchase 7, 14 or even 21 days BEFORE you travel. If you’ve missed the cut-off date, don’t panic. Look for other possibilities, but keep checking that original flight you wanted. The airline might just open the discount again closer to flight time.
- Can’t emphasize this enough. If you’re on a very tight budget, being flexible is absolutely essential…Save your money to have fun on the beaches of the Big Island or Maui.
Here is a partial list of online sites where you can apply the above suggestions:
- Orbitz.com—This site was originated by several large airline companies. The site is fast and powerful.
- Expedia.com—One of the pioneers in the online travel business
- Travelocity.com— One of the big hitters in the travel business.
- Priceline.com—This may be your best bet for low airfares to Hawaii. You can make an offer or bid on
- And, don’t forget your local, friendly Travel Agent for cheap airplane tickets; especially if you’ve had a good money-saving relationship with them. Even then, check your online sources for comparison.
And, just for your convenience, here are the Airport Codes for all the major airports in Hawaii:
- Lihue (Kauai)=LIH
- Honolulu (Oahu)=HNL
- Kahului (Maui)=OGG
- Hilo (Island of Hawaii, Big Island)=ITO
- Kailua-Kona (Island of Hawaii, Big Island)=KOA
OK, get online and find those cheap flights to Hawaii! Aloha A hui hou